Waze Carpool in Pilot Stage

For years, Waze has established a trusted community of drivers, with millions of Wazers helping each other beat traffic on the fastest routes. Since so many people are already using Waze to get to work, why not help a fellow commuter heading in the same direction? That’s what the Waze Carpool pilot is all about.

The Waze Carpool trial is currently rolling out across the Bay Area!

Carpooling

I want to try Waze Carpool. What should I do?

Need a ride? Get the Waze Rider app for free on Android or iOS. Schedule a ride in advance and Waze Rider will look for the closest Wazer already planning a drive on your route. You must be 18 years or older to be a rider with Waze Carpool.

Want to help your community and earn some extra gas money? Get the Waze app for free on Android or iOS and opt in to Waze Carpool on the bottom right tab to get ride requests on your everyday routes. You always have the choice to accept or decline a request. Drivers must be 21 years or older to accept riders via Waze Carpool, and only two rides may be given per day.

How does Waze Carpool match riders with drivers?

Waze Carpool connects riders and drivers with nearly identical commutes based on their home and work addresses. Thanks to Waze advanced mapping capabilities, the platform connects carpool partners from the same local community, making it easy to carpool with neighbors and colleagues you know or haven’t met yet.

Can drivers pick up and drop off riders anywhere?

Riders and drivers are matched based on pick up and drop off locations, verified by Waze, and set in advance through Waze Carpool. Since drivers (like riders) are most likely on their way to work, they’ll be sticking to their regular commute route and giving a ride along the way.

What routes are covered?

The Waze Carpool pilot is currently rolling out across greater San Francisco/South San Francisco, the Peninsula and Mountain View areas. Day by day, more drivers and riders are opting in, so if you don’t get a match today, try us again soon. Theoretically, anyone in the greater area could use Waze Carpool service if a fellow Wazer is headed the same way that day.

How is payment handled?

Riders and drivers share the cost of gas for the trip. Ride payment is set in advance at a rate suggested by Waze, no greater than the federal mileage rate of $.54 per mile, and money is transferred from riders to drivers automatically.

Does Waze Carpool operate during certain hours?

Carpooling relies on driver density - rush hour - so the service works best during morning and evening commute hours, though Waze Carpool is available anytime drivers are on the road. To increase the chances for a Waze Carpool ride, request a ride a few hours in advance.

How many times can I use Waze Carpool daily?

To make a positive impact on rush hour traffic, Waze Carpool is only available for two rides a day, one to work and one home.

How many people can ride with the same driver?

Waze Carpool matches one rider to one driver, per one-way ride, to and/or from work.

I need to drop my kids off, can they ride with me?

Sorry but this request can’t be accommodated for either riders or drivers. Waze Carpool passengers must be least 18 years old. Also, because Waze drivers are on their way to work they may not be equipped to safely seat a young child in the car.

Drivers

I’m a driver. How does it work?

If you commute in the Bay Area, download the Waze app on Android or iOS, opt in to Carpool and we’ll send you ride requests from people who share a similar commute route.

Are Waze Carpool drivers Waze employees?

Nope. Waze Carpool drivers are everyday people who use Waze to drive to work.

Can I make money with Waze Carpool?

Waze Carpool focuses on covering costs, not generating an income. At most, you’ll receive two ride requests daily, located on your existing commute route at the time you’ll be driving on it. Riders pitch in for gas at a rate suggested by Waze, making it a great way for drivers to earn a bit of gas money and cover wear and tear on their vehicle, just as you might chip in on a road trip.

Is Waze Carpool covered by my car insurance?

Auto insurance policies in many states including California typically allow not for profit, share-the-expense carpooling. Waze Carpool is designed to help riders and drivers share the cost of carpooling on a given ride. It is not designed to allow a driver to make a profit or to earn a salary. Payments to the driver, by the rider, will always be less or equal to the cost of the particular drive, taking account of such factors as gas and vehicle depreciation.

Why should I give someone a ride?

Waze Carpool makes it easy to help a neighbor or colleague in your area. Detours are minimal so the commute route is almost the same, you get to ride in the carpool lane (if applicable in your area), and the rider helps cover your commute costs - so why not? It’s also a greener and more social way to get to work and can really make a positive impact on your community.

Riders

I’m a rider, how does it work?

If you’re in the Bay Area, get the Waze Rider app on Android or iOS, and submit a ride request based on your pickup and destination locations. We’ll look for the best carpool partner on your commute route.

How many people can get a ride?

Waze Rider matches one rider to one driver, per one-way ride, to and/or from work.

What about wheelchair accessibility?

Because riders are matched with Wazers using their own vehicles and on their way to work, we cannot guarantee the car will be wheelchair accessible. However, you can message your drivers when sending a ride request and inquire whether their vehicle can support your needs.

Why should I use Waze Rider to get to work?

Seamless ride: you get picked up and dropped off at the locations that work for you–no other stops along the way

Saves money: you only pitch in to cover commute cost and payment is handled automatically

Friendly carpool buddies: Wazers have been helping each other on the roads for years. Riding with a driver from the trusted community is a pleasant way to start and end the day
Environmentally conscious: Waze Rider supports a greener way to get to work, since you're riding with someone on a commute they’re taking anyway

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